Today is December 21st. That means there are only four more days until it is Christmas Day. This often leaves me wondering why we celebrate Christmas at all. Don’t misunderstand me, for I know it is supposed to be a celebration of Christ’s birth. What leaves me wondering is the “supposed to be”. Most people today are more concerned about getting their shopping done and having a good time with family and friends. There is nothing wrong with celebrating with family and friends, but more often than not Christ is left out of the picture completely.

But the fact is, we don’t even celebrate our Saviour’s birth on the actual day He was born; for it is more than likely that He was born in the springtime or in the summer. There are several reasons for this. It being winter the shepherds would not have been out in the fields watching their flocks by night. Instead they would more than likely would have gathered their sheep together and put them in an enclosure where they could huddle together for warmth. Meanwhile the shepherds would have been gathered around a fire, trying to keep warm.

A second reason is Caesar Augustus more than likely would not have issued a decree for census to be taken during the winter. He may have been a tyrant and a megalomaniac, but he also would have realised that many faced a difficult and dangerous journey was ahead of them. So for these two reasons, I feel quite certain that Augustus would have waited for he would have waited because he would have wanted all the taxes that he felt he deserved.

But when it comes right down to it, it doesn’t really matter what day it is we celebrate the birth of Jesus. The important thing is that we do. And we are called to be Christ’s witnesses in the world today. So celebrate with me that Christ is born and that day is almost here,

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About faithfullyhis

My name is Charles Quail and I am a retired Baptist pastor who lives in Dunnville,a small town southeast of Hamilton, Ontario. I also write a weekly column for our local newspaper, The Sachem. It is a column that I have been writing for about eight years. I am married and have two grown daughters. My best buddy was my dog Max, who is now chasing bunny rabbits in sky. I miss him terribly.
My reason for wanting to write a blog is friends have told me that this is the next logical step in my writing career. My hope and prayer is that many will be both challenged and blessed by what I write.